Wilderness Adventures

Whether you’re seeking adventures by sea or into the wild, rifles are required for self-defense, and those in groups must take night shifts to watch for polar bears. Afraid of the dark? No problem! Just visit in the summer, when there is no night. Enjoy your watch under the mind bending midnight sun (midnattsol), which crosses the horizon but never sets. Summer is also when boats can actually navigate through the fjords, increasing the chances of seeing your mighty ursine hosts, as well as reindeer, whales, Arctic foxes, and birds.

More inclined toward twentyfour hours of pitch darkness and temperatures that drop as low as −20°C? Then visit in December or January—the ideal time for reading by moonlight…all day. It’s also when you’re granted staggering access to the northern lights, the sky’s stunning aurora: a wild celebration that applies to all of Svalbard.

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